E-privacy: S&Ds call on the Council to protect citizens’ interests over lobbying efforts of big business

Date

Links

Sections

Health & Consumers

Justice & Home Affairs

Ahead of the Telecommunications Council meeting of later today, the S&D Group calls on the European ministers to prioritise the confidentiality of the communication of European citizens over the interests of the industries. The S&Ds urge the Council to stop blocking this key piece of legislation which gives citizens control over how their confidential information can be used online.

S&D Group spokesperson for civil liberties, justice and home affairs, Birgit Sippel, said:

“It is unacceptable that the European Council is until today blocking the regulation on e-privacy. For over a year, the national telecommunications ministers have been dragging their feet on this crucial file for the privacy of EU citizens. The European Commission announced the proposal in January 2017 and the European Parliament adopted its position already in October 2017. We are ready to move ahead, EU citizens are ready to move ahead, so the Council needs to move ahead!”

“In light of the Facebook and Cambridge Analytica scandal, national governments can no longer put the interests of lobbyists and big business ahead of the privacy of citizens. Now that the Telecoms code is over, it's high time that the Council got serious about protecting citizens online.

“Privacy of communication is a fundamental right enshrined in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and must thus be protected. E-Privacy is about freedom, justice and equality. It is therefore the very condition for protecting democracy in the 21st century.”